1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lighting fixtures and, more particularly, to a wall-mountable lantern for indoor or outdoor use.
2. Related Art
Wall-mounted outdoor lanterns have become an increasingly popular means of providing supplemental lighting for both commercial and residential buildings and for enhancing the exterior appearance of the buildings. Wall-mounted outdoor lanterns typically include a mounting assembly having a mount plate which is attached to and interfaces with an electrical junction box included in the residential or commercial structure, and a hollow arm protruding from the mount plate. Electrical wiring is routed from the junction box through the hollow arm to the light fixture included in the lantern.
Wall-mounted outdoor lanterns may generally be subdivided into the following two classifications: standard or low outlet configuration; and high outlet configuration. With standard or low outlet configuration lanterns, the arm of the mounting assembly is mechanically attached to a lower portion of the lantern housing which contains the included light fixture, with the electrical wiring entering the lantern through a lower portion of the lantern housing. An example of a standard or low outlet lantern is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 388,219, issued to Hsu.
With high outlet lanterns, the mounting assembly is mechanically connected to an upper portion of the lantern housing with the electrical wiring entering the lantern through the upper portion of the housing. An example of a high outlet lantern is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 314,834 issued to Rottner.
Wholesale and retail purchasers of wall mounted lanterns often require a wide variety of configurations or "looks" in order to satisfy their customers. For instance, in a residential subdivision, an electrician may be required to install a wide variety of outdoor lanterns to satisfy the desire of one or more home purchasers to have a distinctive exterior appearance for their home. However, although conventional outdoor lanterns offer some variation in appearance, for instance by replacing a finial with a tail assembly, they are relatively inflexible with regard to achieving a variety of configurations from the same basic lantern. As an example, with conventional wall-mounted outdoor lanterns which are known by the inventors, the electrical wires leading from the electrical junction box are "hard wired" to the light fixture included in the lantern. This feature does not permit the lantern to be converted from a low to a high outlet configuration, or vice versa, while retaining the light fixture in the same position, without rewiring the lantern which requires a professional and is generally not practical. Rotating the lantern 180.degree. to change the lantern from a low to a high outlet configuration, or vice versa, is also generally not practical. In the first instance, known lanterns typically are not symmetrical with regard to the included upper and lower portions, thereby preventing such a rotation. In the second instance, even if the lantern has such symmetry, this rotation would result in a changed position of the included lamp sockets and light bulbs, since the lamp sockets are hard wired. For instance, bulbs originally disposed in a "base-down" burning configuration would be changed to a "base-up" burning configuration. When candelabra based light bulbs are used, a base-up burning configuration is generally considered to be unacceptable since this configuration adversely affects the service life of the light bulbs due to overheating of the light bulbs.
Additionally, although conventional outdoor lanterns are known to include either open or closed bottom configurations, the inventors are unaware of any existing lantern which is available in both configurations.